


Coming Home

by IreneADonovan



Series: Sleeplessness [3]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Canon Disabled Character, Charles in a Wheelchair, Erik Has Feelings, M/M, Post-Cuba, Protective Erik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-19 06:48:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15504687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IreneADonovan/pseuds/IreneADonovan
Summary: Charles comes home...Sequel toSleeplessandMoving Forward





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuation of my tumblr drabble series. This story is now complete. New installments will appear daily on [my tumblr](https://ireneadonovan.tumblr.com), then be collected here the next day. The series will continue in _Snapshots_.

Alex, Sean, and Hank maintained a wary truce with Erik and Raven, because Charles wished it. They were, however, much less sanguine about the presence of Shaw's former associates, but evidently it was a package deal.

Fortunately, that situation resolved quickly. Emma Frost was the first to leave, smirking at Erik on her way out the mansion door, saying, “You got your telepath back, and three's a crowd, sugar.”

Janos and Angel left next, on the same night, maybe together, maybe not.

Only Azazel stuck around, smitten by Raven.

Things would get better here once Charles returned. They had to.


	2. Chapter 2

Charles swallowed hard as Erik drove through the wrought-iron gates. So much had changed since that mid-October morning when their ragtag band had first arrived, him, perhaps, most of all.

The physical loss remained wrenching, though he was slowly making peace with it. Mornings were the hardest, those moments just after waking, when he'd go to get up, before he remembered.

But harder still had been the shattering of his ideals, his dreams of acceptance. He was no longer the naïve academic he'd been mere months ago. An academic, still, but wiser in the cruel ways of the world.

Erik stopped the car.


	3. Chapter 3

Sean and Alex stood on the grass. Hank hung back in the doorway. All eyed Charles a little warily. Sean and Alex had been to visit him a few times but hadn't yet acclimated themselves to his “new normal.” Hank was seeing him for the first time since that harrowing trip back to the States.

As Erik turned off the car's engine, Raven came bounding past Hank. Charles was relieved to see she was clothed, if somewhat skimpily, in a white sundress that set off her blue skin.

She pulled Charles' door open, embraced him fiercely. “Welcome home, Charles.”


	4. Chapter 4

Charles hugged her tight, the one constant from his old life to the new. No matter how much had changed between them, no matter how much they both had changed, she was still his sister.

She stepped back, brushing a tear from her cheek.

Erik lifted him from the car and set him in his wheelchair, careful as if he were spun glass. Which he wasn't -- something he'd take up with the man later.

Erik's arm lingered around his shoulders a touch longer than necessary. Only Raven and Hank noticed, and neither seemed bothered.

He smiled. Home at last.


	5. Chapter 5

Erik reached for the handles of his chair, but Charles raised a hand, stopping him. “I need to do this on my own.”

Erik nodded, took a step back.

Charles wheeled over to Sean and Alex.

“W-welcome home, Professor.” Sean's voice cracked, causing everyone to wince.

Alex said nothing, glanced away, shifting on his heels.

Charles sighed inwardly. Best to deal with this straight away. “You boys know I'm still the same person, right?”

Two nods.

“Then please do not treat me any differently. I've got enough on my plate already.”

Two more nods.

“Good. Let's go in.”


	6. Chapter 6

Hank stepped back from the doorway to let Charles enter. “Welcome back.”

“Good to see you, Hank.” And it was. The boy's new mutation was simply spectacular, though he doubted Hank agreed. Changes, especially massive, abrupt ones, were seldom welcomed.

As Charles himself knew.

The mansion, too, had undergone changes, though the only outward change he'd seen so far was the ramp at the entrance.

Of course, there were others, the largest undoubtedly being the lift and the bath in his suite.

His mother would have hated the renovations. And the reason for them. Her disabled son.

Fuck her.


	7. Chapter 7

This whole place was steeped in memories of his mother. One reason he and Raven had avoided it for so long. He had hoped bringing others here would help exorcize her ghost from his memories, but he could still feel her disapproving stare, smell the alcohol that practically oozed from her pores, see the disdainful twist of her lips.

He didn't realize how far into reverie he'd retreated until Erik laid a hand on his shoulder. “You all right?”

Charles knew his smile was shaky, but his voice was steady. “I'm all right. Just got caught up in a memory.”


	8. Chapter 8

Raven stepped forward. “Do you want to see the renovations?”

He didn't, not really. Not at all,   
actually. “I'm tired,” he said, abruptly enough that Raven looked hurt.

He gentled his tone. “I just really need to lie down for a while. It was a long drive.”

And it had been. Only being with Erik had made it endurable. The vibrations of the car had made his still-healing back pulse with a fire the pain medications had failed to fully temper, and it had left him quite out of sorts.

He'd tried to hide his true mood. But he'd failed.


	9. Chapter 9

“Sorry. I'm just tired and out of sorts. Which way to the lift?”

As an apology, it wasn't much, but Raven brightened. “Follow me. I'll show you.”

The boys didn't feel the need to follow them. Only Erik stayed close as Raven led them down several corridors. “We put it close to your suite,” she said, sounding far too cheerful for his current mood. 

It wasn't hideous. An attempt had been made to blend it in with its surroundings, and the ride was smooth.

Still, Charles was relieved as Erik followed him into his suite and closed the door.


	10. Chapter 10

“Do you need to lie down?” Erik set his hands on Charles' shoulders, rubbed gently.

Charles leaned back into the touch. “No, unless you're going to join me.”

Erik leaned down, embraced him. “It could be arranged.” His voice was warm against Charles' ear.

One of the things he'd looked forward to about coming home was this, cuddling with Erik in his own bed, finally having room to be comfortable, finally having privacy without worry.

Erik pulled back the covers, lifted Charles from his chair, set him against the pillows, climbed in on the opposite side, snuggled close.

Perfection.


	11. Chapter 11

They lay in contented silence for a long while, Charles cradled in Erik's arms. The bed was heavenly, especially after several months of hospital beds, but better yet was lying with Erik without worry, no longer having to steal moments when no one was looking.

The rehabilitation process had been grueling, and he still had a ways to go, but it was good to be home.

He'd hated this place as a child, but now he was grateful for it, the base for the ragtag family he seemed to be assembling.

He snuggled deeper into Erik's embrace, into Erik's love.


	12. Chapter 12

He was in Charles' bed. Charles was in his arms. It seemed a miracle, given how events had unfolded that day in Cuba. Killing Shaw, turning the missiles, shooting Charles, leaving Charles -- any one of those should have destroyed their nascent romance.

Yet here he was. Charles had forgiven him, still loved him, despite what that bullet had cost him.

He still wanted to weep at how difficult Charles' life was now, the seemingly endless complications imposed by his paralysis. Charles insisted it would get easier as he learned to adjust; Erik could only hope it would be so.


	13. Chapter 13

Erik kissed the top of Charles' head. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah. It was just a bit much.” Charles' arm tightened around Erik's waist, and he tilted his head up to look at Erik. “Kiss me. Kiss me like your life depended on it.”

Which it did.

Erik covered Charles' mouth with his own. Charles’ lips parted willingly, and their tongues tangled urgently. Charles tasted delicious, earthy, sweet.

When at last they came apart, Charles gazed at him with hungry sapphire eyes. “Love me,” he said. “Please.”

“You're ready for this?” They both knew it would be different now.

“Yes.”


	14. Chapter 14

Erik unbuttoned Charles' shirt with shaking, reverent hands, parted the cotton fabric to reveal freckled ivory skin. He set his hand on the center of Charles' chest, savoring the warmth, the vitality of this man he had so nearly lost.

Charles shivered under his touch, blue eyes dark with anticipation and desire, and a frisson of nervousness. Charles was nearly as clueless as Erik as to how his body would respond now. They'd find a way to make sex between them work, Erik was sure, but that didn't mean they weren't both nervous as virgins.

Erik bent, kissed Charles throat.


	15. Chapter 15

Charles gasped, eyes widening.

Encouraged, Erik trailed kisses up across Charles' jaw to his ear.

Charles groaned approval.

Erik nibbled at the delicate shell, nipped at the earlobe.

Charles shuddered.

Erik lavished attention on Charles' ear while his fingers found Charles' nipples. He brushed his thumbs over the small peaks, light, teasing.

Charles arched into the touch. _God, yes!_

Erik pinched Charles' nipples, rolled them between his fingertips.

Charles writhed beneath him, eyes shut tight, hands fisted in the sheets. He was close, so close.

Erik nipped his ear again.

Charles came, gasping and shaking.

Erik grinned. “You're so easy.”


End file.
